STRATEGY
general. Employees need to be presented with opportunities to be creative and have their thoughts and opinions truly heard, to think as well as to do, with drive and energy. To achieve this they need to have strong
communication and listening skills and exude empathy, and genuine interest in the issues their colleagues face. They need to be sponges, soaking up new information, learning and sharing, developing and supporting others, as well as setting policy and communicating. They need to collaborate and engage with people inside and outside of their organisations – face- to-face and through social media. They will present their vision to the world and align with the values and hopes of all the team. The most effective leaders always inspire others to be the very best they can be.
Informed decision making
Every business faces hundreds of decisions every day, some trivial, some strategic. Many of these decisions have to be taken with imperfect information, either because the information is not available, or because it’s available but the effort to get it outweighs the risk of a mistake. Remarkable leaders consistently make better
decisions, at all levels. So what makes a ‘better’ decision? In general that is one that moves the business closer to achieving its strategic goals. That means everyone who has to make decisions in the business has to know what the strategic goals are, and know what the impact and consequences of the decision they’re making will be. The key elements then of making better
decisions throughout an organisation means giving all the staff confidence in their authority to make decisions, the detailed knowledge they need, and communicating the framework in which those decisions should be made.
A poor decision can lead you a long way down a road before it’s clear that it’s the wrong direction. By then it’s costly both in money and time
58 September 2015
www.trainingjournal.com
Today’s business world moves quickly and the
impact of some decisions can be significant. A poor decision can lead you a long way down a road before it’s clear that it’s the wrong direction. By then it’s costly both in money and time to recover. 21st century businesses take time to get the communication of strategy clear along with details of the timing and expectations along the way. They make sure their people have the information they need or know how to find it. Technology is shifting the goal posts, it allows organisations to bring in experts and specialists with specific knowledge and experience from anywhere in the world, at a moment’s notice. It allows colleagues to discuss things even when they are separated geographically.
Make quick decisions
While businesses move ever faster, operational decisions must also be made quickly and decisively. This is the norm, rather than the exception. These decisions need to reflect the good judgment of the company and prioritise what is most important to both the immediate needs of the business and society as well. Yet they must do that in the context of the organisation’s strategy too, and move the business forward. This sounds like all decisions are difficult and need seniority and skill – which is why business leaders, so often end up being a bottleneck and a constraint on operational speed. Yet experience is key to better decisions, real experience highlights what knowledge is needed, shows up the gaps, and creates confidence in the outcomes of the choices made and insights into how to apply the experience to new situations. Building experience quickly in safe
environments is a key skill for the 21st century business leaders. Things do change, beyond the business, beyond
the day to day for the team. So businesses need to pay attention to the political climate, the markets they are in and how they are developing, the environmental needs of their community and the world, and show a strong ethical stance. Their decisions need to be backed by knowledge of all of the different facets of the business. Finally decisions need to be communicated, and that highlights just how often communication is a skill that’s needed at every level and by every member of a business. If the communication skills aren’t top quality the business won’t be either.
Developing people to be more effective
Good management and great leadership will provide the direction necessary to help workers
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